Hi all, I'd like to offer a bit of background to this thread, if I may? We moved back to central, rural Scotland from S Wales in 2022 and have been adapting to but loving the solitude and quiet that has brought but, for me, it's the wildlife, the birds. We are SO lucky to have birds visiting the garden that I'd hoped I might see here. Now I see most of them daily so, I have a "few" photos taken from my den, (wee box room) where I look out directly at an Ash tree and our feeders.
So, I'd like to share some of those images here, I hope that works or is the way it's done?
September 1st 2024
As an example, as I typed this, I spotted a wee bird landing at the base of the tree, turned out to be a young Robin. Robins are a less frequent visitor so I was up and grabbing a few shots when an adult shot in and chased it off!! Typical.
This morning, my mood was totally lifted by the first (as far as I know) visit of a wee flock of Long-tailed Tits AND, a couple stood still long enough to photograph! Bonus
Set September off nicely.
I don't think I've had such clear shots before, they're usually at dawn or dusk and in a hurry!
Really pleased to get these shots, I'm sure there will be more, they come through more often as the weather changes.
Just watched a Mistle Thrush arrive like a bully boy! Lands with its head up, tail up, ready for battle but there's nothing out there to compete.
Well! It's all kicking off today. I've just come back from my walk, sitting editing photos when I hear a bit of a ruckus outside. Bully for today is a fieldfare, great for me and photos, not so much for the other Thrush-likes however: A second Fieldfare arrived a short while ago!! All out war now!
When I went out to feed them all this morning, there was no trace of any apple at all, I now know why, they're eating the lot, which is good.
PS. The Mistle Thrush just showed up but kept out of the way!
Photos to follow
I'm scared to go out there! It keeps looking up at me in the window!!!!
Mines are going through the apples and pears so the fieldfare is hogging the berries on the fence until the black birds give chase
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Yow ain't seen me, roight?
Blackbird female peeping from behind an old root
Really going to try and stay ahead of the game this year get my images sorted, deleted, edited and shared on time (forget the huge backlog, right?)
So ....
In the garden, the first week of January!
4th saw the first sighting of the Fieldfare bully-boy in the garden! Currently chasing off all other thrush-likes.
The birds are obviously suffering in this very cold spell.
I grabbed this shot quickly on the 5th, because it never ends well and it didn't, two male GSW at the same feeders, one saw the other just seconds after and they were off!
We've gained a new Pheasant this year, that's guess-work, I doubt they make it from year to year. Meet Cedric!. It was the hairdo that did it on the 7th
I don't think I've ever seen so many Blackbirds in the garden.
And as for the Starlings!!!!! They're obviously being fed too well, we'll have our own murmuration soon.
They'll eat everything in seconds but they can be beautiful birds.
The GSW haven't been around as much this week but I have been seeing them out in the woods when I'm out walking.
The Tree Sparrows have appeared in force since the cold snap.
I might try to get a wide shot of all the Blackbirds!
There's a young female Blackbird that visits and has a bad leg or foot but she seems to be doing fine.
I think I've been ignoring the garden birds because I've been going out more often, maybe that's why I'm on top of the shots? there are fewer of them?
Fieldfare at war still to come
A nice set Scozmos. Nice to have Tree sparrows, we don't have them locally. The starlings always make a good photo, they have so many colours depending on the light.
It's strangely reversed up here Mac, there are House Sparrows in the hedge but they don't use the garden much, too much out in the wider area for them maybe? I do love photographing Starlings.
Scozmos said:I've been ignoring the garden birds
...shame on you Scoz !!!garden birds first then walk then return to garden birds thats the law ...Lindas law
I wish I had tree sparrows to worship in my garden
right-oh! Sorry, a memory lapse? There could well be some in your surroundings Linda? Just got to tempt them in I genuinely hoped I might see some when we moved so I'm well chuffed